So does Ron Johnson.

@rhodesben.bsky.social I recently came across a podcast from an Israeli journalist Haviv Gur when he interviewed Melissa Chen. Chen (and Gur) suggest that the underlying reason for attacking Iran is to mitigate China's influence in the region. I'm interested in your thoughts on that.

And regardless of whose idea it was, what was the reason for creating the position? If it was always IU's intention to have such a position, why has the university waited until now?
Generally, I think the hire is a home run. The timing puzzles me, though.

And what was the nature of the mid-February discussion that tipped the scales? And who's idea was it to create Carr's position? DeVries? Or did it some from the AD or higher?

Carr mentions he had a significant talk with Coach DeVries in mid-February and had been communicating with him throughout the season. Did those earlier talks include discussing his new position? If so, why did it as long as it did to get serious?

@zachosterman.bsky.social I've watched the Ryan Carr newser twice and have some questions that I hope you can answer.

Why was Tayton Conerway not in the game more than 8 minutes in the 2nd half?
What was the strategy for guarding Martinelli? Why no double-team? Why switch and allow NW to hunt Enright?
Why keep shooting jump shots and not try something different?
Why do IU defenders keep biting on ball fakes?

I could get past the paywall to read the story, but my complaint is more with the insipid questions you and your colleagues pose during the postgame sessions. My question to you: Why didn't anyone ask the following?

The only reason Barnes was open was that KAT was a dope and didn’t stay at the 3-point line.

Also revealed that KAT is a dope.

@davedufour.bsky.social Listening to your emergency JJJ trade podcast. Keith Parish is delusional.

Kid makes the play of the game and that’s your take? Weak.

BTW, my reaction in the stadium was 10.8

@bryancurtis.bsky.social Enjoyed your discussion of Sean McDonough's football call modulation and thought about that listening to his call of D'Angelo Ponds's pick-6 in the Peach Bowl. Understandably no voice crack on the first play from scrimmage, so probably in the high 8s, maybe 9.

Combined they might know the names of a total of three players.

Wrong answer. Embrace the Big Tent, Deb.

Also, it's early, the college season hasn't started yet, plus you don't follow college basketball that closely. But I do, and I want to alert you to Alex Condon of University of Florida. He's 6-10 and starting his 3rd season. Good shooter, blocks shots, rebounds. And he's from Perth.

@joshlloyd.bsky.social Regarding Jaime Jaquez Jr. Is it possible that he's experiencing the third-year bump? The FG% is indeed unsustainable, but he's doing other things. Maybe he's just more comfortable in his role.

@bryancurtis.bsky.social Does any part of the ESPN acquisition of the NFL Network require government approval? If so, the Sinclair extortion attempt of Disney and Kimmel may be the least of Disney's problems.

Well, Illinois did lose a couple of their best defensive players. But you’re right. They’ll move the goalposts.

I worked with local stations for 30 years, including some that Nexstar owns (and Sinclair), and I'm convinced that these corporations motives go far beyond economics, and more much more political and aligned with the current administration. After Kimmel, watch what they do, not what they say. (-30-)

But I thought at the time that Nexstar's influence was much more direct and that has since been confirmed by a piece in the NY Times that dropped Thursday, likely after you and Joel recorded. (3/4)

Stations owned by ABC,CBS, and NBC are. And you correctly pointed out that one of the largest local-station groups, Nexstar, has a piece of business that depends on FCC approval. At the time of Kimmel's suspension, Nexstar was mentioned prominently as supporting the action. (2/4)

Listened to this episode Friday morning, and thought the Kimmel section needed clarification. It seemed to me that FCC chair Carr's "easy way/hard way" threat was directed at local stations, whose licenses depend on FCC approval, not ABC. Networks are not regulated by the FCC. (1/4)

@bryancurtis.bsky.social Bryan: I'm sure you'll devote plenty of time to coverage of the Charlie Kirk assassination and its aftermath, but I wanted to alert you to an interview NPR's Michel Martin did this morning with Matt Schlapp of CPAC. Spoiler alert: It took a wrong turn about 5 minutes in.

Where’s Kamara?

Will Cain is a hack. Always has been.

Mike Lawler is a duplicitous dickwad.

In four of the last 6 seasons MPJ has played more games than CJ, including 20+ more in the last three seasons. The reason the Nuggets "won" the trade is a financial one: dumping MPJ's salary for CJ's.

@davedufour.bsky.social In your podcast today with Es and Zena I think I heard someone say that the Nuggets got the better of the MPJ-Cam Johnson trade because CJ has been healthier than MPJ. That is factually inaccurate if you compare games played.